Pirn-winding machinery



Dec. 22, 1942. w. H. KIMPTON PIRN-WINDING MACHINERY Filed July 1'7, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1940 I 1942. w. H. KIMPTON 7 2,306,268

PIRN-WINDING MACHINERY Filed July 17 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 H KIM PTON \NVENTOR Dec. 22, 1942.

w. H. KIMPTON FIRM-WINDING MACHINERY Filed July 17, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fla. /6

-K MPTON mvsxToR 9 (942. w. H. KIMPTON 2,30

PIRN-WINDING MACHINERY Filed July 1-7, 1940 .5 Sheets-Sheet 5 \NVB T K rum AME Patented Dec. 22, 1942 uni'rso' STATES PATENT FFElCE PIRN -WH\T DIN G MACHINERY William Harry Kimpton, Spondon, near Derby, England, assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 17, 1940, Serial No. 346,018 In Great Britain August 2, 1939 4 Claims. (01. 242-41) This invention relates to automatic pirn-wind- Simple profile cams, which may be castings ing mechanism of the spindleless" type in which requiring little more than boring to enable them a pirn tube is pressed against a driving member, to be secured to the cam-shaft, can be used to (e. g. a short spindle), a traversing device is operate the various levers, which themselves are movable lengthwise of the tube, and a handle simple in form. provides for the starting and stopping of the The automatic doiling and donning mechanism mechanism. can be built as a unit independent of the spindle- The invention is particularly concerned with driving and traverse-operating mechanism and mechanism for effecting automatic donning and may, therefore, be readily applied to existing dedoifing of independent pirn-winding spindles, 11 signs of 'pirn-winding machines with little strucsuch mechanism either being incorporated in or tural modification and without alteration of the built on to the gear-box unit by which the spinbasic method of operation of the machine. Aldle and its traverse mechanism are driven and though each meehenism O e a depend y, operated or capable of being applied as an atit is convenient to drive a plurality of the mechtachment to such unit for converting a nonl= anism by common means, which enables the inautomatic spindle into an automatic one. When vention to be readily applied to the usu l typ t. e mechanism is provided as an attachment, of h m-W n in m n h v n ev p n l it may be applied to the spindle type of mauni-ts on a-commo-n frame, for example, several chine by removal of the usual protruding length gear boxes each carry a P Of sp p of the spindle, and the addition of a slight moditruding ro e Side pairs spindles D fication to the shortened end of the spindle, and trud ing from opposite sides.

by the provision of release means to permit the The invention will now be described in greater traverse mechanism to be returned to the base detail with reference to the accompany n drawof the pirn, as is set out in greater detail below. ings, in Which The mechanism according to the invention Fig v1 is an el a o of t e leftand s de of comprises a cam-shaft, a clutch for setting the th m hani m as applied to a Universal No. 90 cam-shaft in motion on completion of winding, Dim-Winding unit; the View is taken on e line a magazine, means for transferring a pirn-tube and t de s o n ude the om the agazine to winding position, a, threadpart of the mechanism to the right of that line;

trapping and cutting device disposed near th Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1, likewise tube-driving member, a plurality of cams on the omittingthe l 0 t mechanism o 4 cam-shaft, and simple lever connections from not included in the cams to enable the rotation of the shaft to 3 is a P of t including e efiect the withdrawal of the tube-pressing means, p Of the mechanism sheWn 0 t e right of the a movement of the traversing device towards the line O tube-driving means, operation of the thread- Fi 4 is a r ar elevation of the mechanism trapping and cutting device, transfer of a tube shown in Figs- 1 d 1 from the magazine to the winding position, re- 5 is a left-hand eleVe-tien (Corresponding lease of the thread-trapping means, movement to Fig. 1) 0f the part of the mechanism of F 4 of the starting and stopping handle to starting Omitted frem position, and release of the lutch, Fig. 6 is a part-sectional detail of part of the The lever connection for returning the tratraverse mechanism sheWn in Figs- 1 d versing device may be used to connect with a 7 is a front elevation of p Of Fig.

lever that serves to position the thread for en- 8 is a P VieWOf the p at meCha-.

gagement between the tube-driving member and s of a pp and Cutt device shoWn'in the end of the tube transferred from the magazine and for engagement by the thread-trapping 9 is e diagrammatic e ev on to a lar r and cutting device. A preferred form of threadscale of the t pp g and cutting device; trappin and cutting d vi comprises an arm Fig. 10 is a view of the camand'clutch-shaft having a cutting edge, and a pair of members of Fig. 1;

between which the arm passes, one member 00- 11 is e p r -sectional elevation of the operating with one side of the arm to trap the clutch taken on the line of thread, and the other having a cutting edge 12 shows w the normal Winding p c-o-operating with the edge on the arm t t die of the No. unit may be modified for thethe thread after it has been trapped. purpose of the invention;

external of the box and it is, therefore, not necessary for the internal mechanism of the box to be shown. It is, however, necessary to "describe briefly the main elements of the pirn.- winding mechanism to which the invention 'is applied.

Normally the spindle 2 extends as shown in 12, sufficiently to protrude dotted lines 3 in Fig. through a pirn tube, the end of the spindle entering a spring-loaded rotary cup 4 (Figs. 1 and 3) mounted in an'outboard support 5. For the purpose of the invention, the spindle is curtailed as shown in Fig. 12 and provided with a blunt point 6 and a collar 1 faced with rubber as shown at 8 to provide a driving connection with the base of a pirn tube.

Parallel to the spindle line extending from the point 6 to the cup 4 and lying to the left of it is a traverse bar 9 operated within the box I to have a traversing motion equal to the length of the nose of the pirn. At the side of the bar 9 facing the pirn position, the bar is halfthreaded as shown at I9 (Fig. 6), the other half of the bar being plain as shown at H. A feeler disc I2 is carried on the bar 9, the boss I3 of the disc being threaded to correspond with the threads I9, the bore I4, however, being enlarged, so that the collar canv be pressed to one side to free itself from the threads. During the traversing of the bar 9, the thread is built up on the nose of the pirn and from time to time the disc I2 touches the-yarn and a driving contact is established that rotates the disc on the rod 9 and the disc is screwed slightly along the rod. In this way the thread guide I5 connected to the disc I2 is gradually carried towards the tip of the pirn tube. When the pirn has reached a predetermined length, the normal trip mechanism provided with the box I operates to release a starting and stopping lever I6 by means of which two clutches within the box are disengaged to stop the rotation of the spindle 2 and the operation of the traverse rod 9.

These normal winding and traversing functions are carried out in the apparatus as modified by the invention, i. e. once winding has been started on a pirn tube the traversing device continues to progress slowly towards the tip of the tube until a predetermined length has been wound and the winding and traversing stopped automatically. Instead, however, of the pirn tube having to be replaced manually by an empty tube and the machine restarted by hand the whole of these operations are effected mechanically.

In order to permit discharge of the completed pirn the machine is converted to the spindleless type by curtailment of the normal spindle 3 so that a pirn tube is pressed between the rubber face 8 on the end of the spindle and the rotatable cup 4. The pirn is released by withdrawing the cup 4 by mechanism controlled from a cam shaft II which is set into operation immediately on completion of a pirn. The cam thenose 29 of the lever shaft I1 lies parallel to the spindle 2, being carried by bearings I8 depending from a horizontal plate I9 that projects outwardly from towards the base of the box I. Loosely mounted on the shaft I1 is a driving member 29 carrying a worm wheel 2I in constant mesh with a worm 22 on a constantly driving shaft 23 running at right angles to the shaft I1 and capable of efiecting the driving of the automatic mechanisms of any convenient number of pirn-winding spindles arranged side by side in the usual manner.

The driving member 29 carries a disc 24 notched at several points 25 round its periphery. The disc 24 can be clutched to the shaft I1 by the following means: A clutch disc 26 secured to the shaft has a lever 21 pivoted to it at 28, and 21 overhangs the disc 24 soas to be capable of entering the notches 25. A locking lever 39 pivoted at 3| to the disc 26 is urged by a spring 32 towards the position in whichits end overhangs the flat 33 on the lever 21, but the lever 39 may be restrained by means of a lever 34 carried by a rod 35 (Fig. 1) pivoted at I35 (Fig. 2) at the forward end of which is a lever 36. A spring I36 (Fig. 3) tends to rock the levers 34, 39 anti-clockwise (Fig. 11) to free the lever 34 from the lever 39. A cam 31 on the shaft I1 engages a follower 33 on the right hand end 39 of a lever A pin 42 protruding from the end 39 of the lever lies below the lever 36. The left hand end 43 of the lever 49 is connected by the spring 44 and rod 45 with the end of the starting lever I6.

When tripping of the mechanism in the box I takes place on completion of a pirn the lever I6 swings clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 2 to a horizontal position. The end 39 of the lever 49 drops to allow the spring I36 to lower the lever 36 and raise the lever 34, thus permitting the locking lever 39 to ride up the incline I93 (Fig. 11) of the lever 21 towards the fiat 33 and urge the end 29 of the lever against the periphery of the driving disc 24. When the rotation of the disc 24 brings one of the notches 25 below the end oflever 21, the end 29 enters the recess and the lever 21 is lockedin that position by the lever. 39. The lever 21 is thus driven round with the disc 24, dragging the clutch-disc 26 and the cam shaft I1 with it.

As soon as the shaft I1 rotates, a second cam 46 rocks a lever 41 pivoted at 48 and a pair of lever arms 49 extending upwardly from the piv ot 48 engage pins 59 protruding from the bearing 5| of the cup 4 through slots 52 in the bearing housing 53. The cup 4 is thus moved outwards against the action of a spring 54 so that the forward end of the pirn tube 55 is allowed to drop. The completed pirn then falls into a slide 56 for discharge into a suitable container.

The thread from the traverse guide I5 remains attached to the-completed pirn and the next combined operation is to position the thread for attachment'to a replacement tube and to return the traverse mechanism towards the spindle 2. A third cam 51 on the shaft I1 operates a follower lever 58 carried by a spindle 59 to which is secured a lever 69, cranked at its upper end as shown at 6!, the lever 69 being movable in a vertical plane parallel to the traverse rod 9. The operation of the cam 51 is to move the lever 69 clock-wise (Fig. 5). The lever 69 makes early engagement with a lever 62 carried by the"trav'- erse mechanism I5. The lever 62 is pivoted at 63 and carries a pin 54 that pushes the collar 49 pivoted at M.

I3 of the building disc I2 out of engagement with the threads In of the bar 9. Continued pressure of the lever 69 on the lever 62 pushes the building disc I2 and the rest of the traverse mechanism along the rod 9 towards the box I.

The lower end 65 of the lever 69 engages a lever 66 pivoted at 61, the upper end 68 of the lever 66 thus being carried across the path of the thread extending from the guide I to the fallen pirn. The thread is thus swept towards the rubber face 3 of the spindle 2. The cam 51 holds levers 69 and 66 in their left-hand position while the thread is trapped and cut.

Afourth cam 69 operates a depending follower arm 19 of lever 1| pivoted at 12, the lever 1i ending in a fork 13 that engages with a lever 14 connected to a trapping and cutting arm 15 pivoted at 16. The sickle-shaped end 11 of the arm 15 moves across the thread already positioned over the rubber face 8 and carries it into a combined trapping and cutting member 18.

The device 18 comprises an upper member 19 of spring steel, the lower edge of which is rounded and a lower cutting member 89, the top of which is sharp. The members 19, 88 form a channel into which the thread is pressed by the end 11 of the arm 15, the top edge of the end being rounded and the lower edge of which is sharpened. The member 19 protrudes beyond the member 88, so that as the arm enters the channel its upper edge co-operates with the lower edge of the member 19 to trap the thread running back to the guide I5, and then its sharp lower edge co-operates with the sharp upper edge of the member 89 to cut the thread below the point at which it is trapped.

With the traverse mechanism moved near to the spindle 2 and the thread trapped and held across the face of the spindle, the cam 51 allows the levers 69, 68 to move anti-clockwise, springs 8|, 82 effecting these movements.

A fifth and remaining cam 63 on the shaft I1 serves to bring an empty pirn tube into winding position. A supply of pirn tubes is carried in a slightly inclined magazine 84 between the channelled end plates 85 of which a pair of transferring arms 86 carried by a rod 81 are able to move. The arms 86 are operated by means of a lever 88 on the rod 81 having a pin-and-slot con.- nection with a lever 89 secured to a rod 99, a cam follower lever 9I on the rod 98 engaging the cam 83. The ends of the arms 86 are forked as shown at 92 to engage the lowermost tube 93 in the magazine 84 and operation of the lever 89 by the cam 83 causes the arms to lift the tube into line with the point 6 of the spindle 2 and with the cup 4, after which the lever arms 49 are withdrawn by the cam 46 to allow the spring 54 to press the cup 4 against the end of the tube 93, the base of the tube being pressed against the rubber face 8 to trap the end of the thread proceeding from the guide I5.

The cam 69 then releases the trapping arm 15 to free the end of the thread. The cam 83 then returns the arms 86 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The mechanism is now ready for winding to begin on the new tube 93, The cam 31 lifts the end 39 of the lever 49 and the end 43 of the lever compresses the spring 44 and through the rod returns the starting lever I6 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The usual catch 94 engages a lever 95 carried on the spindle 96 of the starting lever I6 near the box I to hold the lever I6 in running position. The lever I6 re-engages the clutches inside the box I in the us'ual'manner for the spindle 2 to begin rotating and'for theibarx9 tobegin traversing. The catch! is the 'one carrying the trip lever '91 whichibytheinormal mechanism (not shown) of the UniversalNo. QO'machi'ne is rocked about its pivot 98 on the catch to bring a projection 99 into the path of a member I99 traversing with the rod 9 when the pirn is fully wound. The return stroke of the rod drives the lever 91 towards'the box I and rocks the catch 94 about its pivot I9I', to release the lever and allow the handle I6 to move to stop position.

.As'the shaft I1 approaches the end of one revolution, thelocking lever 39 meets the end of the lever .34 which by the raising of the lever 36 'by 'thepin 42: on the lever 49 has been rotated :in a clockwise direction. The rocking lever 39 is thus prevented from continuing its rotation with the disc 26 and is therebyswithdrawn from the'flat 33- of the clutch lever 21 as the lever 21 still continues to rotate with the disc 26. The lever 21 is thus free to move about its pivot 28 so that its end 29 rises from the notch 25 of the disc 24 with which it has been in engagement. Driving connection is thus broken between the disc 26 of the shaft I1 and the driving member $24, and the cam shaft I1 comes to rest.

The. timing of the mechanism is indicated by Fig. 18. The 5 circles I31, I46, I51, I69 and I83 represent thefull revolutions of the cams 31, 46, 51, 69 and 83 operating respectively the starting lever I6, the cup 4, the levers 69, 68, the cutter arm 11, and the magazine arms 86. The camshaft I1 begins to move at a and immediately afterwards (b) the cup 4 is withdrawn for the completed pirn to fall. At c'the arms 86 move back slightly to permit an empty tube to fall from the magazine into the forks 92. The lever 69 pushes the traverse mechanism back at 01, until, with the magazine arms fully back at e and the cup 4 fully withdrawn at f, the cutter arm 11 begins to move at 0, just before the lever 68 completes its stroke at h.

The cutter has trapped and cut the thread at 7' and at the same time the lever 69 is free to return (7' a movement it completes at h just as the magazine arms 86 move forward (W) to lift the empty tube into line with the cup 4 and the spindle nose 6, which movement is completed at 1 At that time, the cup 4 starts to close on the tube (1 completing this by m when' -the arms 86 are free to return (m The thread is now trapped between the base of the tube and the rubber facing 8, and can be released by the arm 11 (n). The lever 49 begins to move at p, and after the arms 86, 11 have returned to their original position (q, r), the lever 49 pulls down the starting lever I6 (s) and causes the lever 34 to dis-engage the clutch on the shaft I1 (15) and bring the automatic operation to an end. The lever 21 is freed from the disc 25 as the revolution ends at a.

A safety catch comprising a pin I82 that can be pushed under the lever 36 by a knob I93 enables the automatic mechanism to be put out of action.

The mechanism is simple in character, and, by the slight modification to the normal spindle shown in Fig. 10 and the provision of the lever 62 on the traverse mechanism, enables a spindle type of pirn-winding machine to be readily converted to automatic operation. Each winding spindle of the box I is capable of independent operation, which permits of maximum output,

since a failure of thread supply or a thread :break-' age at one spindle does notafiect any other. The mechanism, moreover, does not addto the space occupied by thewinding mechanism:to which. it is applied, so that the advantages of automaticworking can be obtained without modifying the close spacing of thema'chines in a pirnwindingplant. Y,

, The mechanism can itself be'built as a unit based on the plate l9, which is attached to the front of the box The cam-shaft I1 is carried below the plate,-.so that the compact assembly of cams and the clutch are protected by the plate. Above the plate; the magazine 84, the cutting and trapping device 15, 18,1 and the levers 49 for withdrawing the cup 4 are so arranged that ready access to the winding mechanism proper is available. 1

The several Icams on the shaft ll'all' operate their followers againstspring action, and'therefore have simple profiles (either "peripheral or end) that allow the cams to be cast and 'prepared for assemblywith very little machinery. The peripheral-cam '31is cast integral with the end-cam .45, so that :onlyfour separate cam mem= bars are needed; 1 v The slow-running worm-shaft 23 by which the cam-shaft I1 is operated when the discs 24, 26 are clutched together is driven in. any suitable way, its speed being such that the one-revolution ,cycle of the shaft H in which the dofling and donning areeflected is completed in a'-few seconds. 1; 7

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by. Letters Patent is: .7

;1. Automatic pirn-winding mechanism .of the spindleless type in which a pirn-tube-is pressed against a drivingimember, and a traversing device is movable lengthwise of the tube untillwind ing is complete, and having astarting and stopping handle, said mechanism comprising a camshaft extending in the samev general direction a's'i'thepirn-tube'and .the traversing device, a clutchtfor settingthe cam-shaft in motion on completion of winding, a magazine,- means for transferring a pirn-tube-from the magazine to winding position, a thread-trapping and cutting device. disposed near the tube-driving, member, a. plurality of cams disposed over the length of the cam-shaft, and appropriately disposed simple' lever, connections from the cams to enable the rotation of the cam shaft to effect the withdrawal of the tube-pressing means, amovement of the traversing device towards the tube-driving means, operation of the thread-trapping and cutting device, transfer of a tube from the magazine-to the winding position, release of the thread-trapping means, movement of the starting and stopping handle tostarting position, and release of the clutch.

2. Mechanism;- according to claim 1, a lever connected to the lever connection for returning the traversing device that serves to position the thread for engagement between the tube-driving member and the end of the tube transferred from the magazine and for engagement by the threadtrapping and cutting device.

3. Mechanism according to claim, 1 wherein the traversing device carries a releasing lever that is engaged by the lever connection for returning the traversing device, so that the lever connection first releases thetraversing device and then returns it towards the tube-driving means. A

4. Mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the thread-trapping and cutting device comprises an arm having a cutting edge, and a pair of members between which'the arm passes, one member co-operating with one side of the arm to trap the thread, and the other havinga'cutting edge co-operating with the edge on the arm to cut the thread after it has been trapped.

WILLIAM HARRY KIMP'I'ON, 

